First I just want to say to all who own dogs....NEVER leave your dog unattended with your chickens. EVER. Not even if its the sweetest dog in the world, or would never hurt a fly. Don't do it. You are asking for trouble if you do and you will learn the hard lesson that I did today. That said, here's what happened in my quiet, coexsisting yard today.
For the past 3 days, I have been letting "the dog" (as IT is now known by me)- a 2 year old black lab -into the yard with the critters with me by his side. He did so well it made me happy. He is very well trained and very smart, and after the intial running around trying to smell everythings butt, he settled down and would lay and just watch everyone. I was so happy. I thought, "Wow. A dog in the yard during the day will keep predators at bay". I was wrong.
Today, like the previous 3 days, our dog was in the yard. It was REAL hot today and our children played out in the sprinkler and I watched the yard from the porch. I ran out of lemonade and came inside for no more than a few moments. Thats all it took.
As I poured my glass of fresh lemonade, my son flies into the house screaming "Mom come quick. Chevy killed a chicken". I dropped the glass and flew out the door to see "the dog" cowering near a still flopping, badly wounded chick. One of my 6 week old Cinnamon Queens, and my friendliest one to boot. Da** it.
I feel bad as I am going to be very honest, and hope you all will understand the pain I felt at that moment and not report me to AC or something, but I held that chick in front of my dog and then smacked him good and hard on his thick bottom several times as I yelled for my DH who, upon seeing the scene, stood not knowing what to do. My son (7 years old) stepped up and grabbed the dog and ushered him out of the yard and into the house. I examined the chick, and there was no saving it. It had expired.
I asked my son to explain what happened. He told me the dog was sitting in the grass and the chick was near by scratching the ground searching for bugs and worms, and he just suddenly snapped, growled, and grabbed the chick by the head and flung it around like a toy. My son yelled for him to "drop it" which he did, because he is very well trained. But he knew he'd done wrong and he watched that chick flop around as it died in the grass and he cowered. My poor little one.
I cant even look at the dog now. I picture him shaking my chick back and forth like a rag doll and it makes me want to take my anger out on him. I know its not his fault. Its mine, and mine alone. I left him unsupervised thinking he was fine and I'd only be a minute. I guess I cant face him not because I am mad at HIM but because I am mad at ME. Thats really hard to accept. Because I over estimated my dog, a young chick is dead. Because I did not watch him, and because I thought everything was fine, he's a gentle dog, never hurt a fly....because of my STUPIDITY my chick is dead.
Please, if you own a dog, please don't ever be bull headed, or as stupid as I was today. Keep your dogs away from your birds unless you are right there to watch them and grab them and save a chicks life if you need too.
(*PS...My dog is fine, btw. I didnt hit him hard. I'm not a meany and I dont beat my animals. Please dont think I abused my dog because I was dumb enough to trust him to be a non-dog in my absence. Labs have a very thick skin, and honestly I'm sure it hurt my hand more than his bottom. Just so you all know I'm not some dog beating freak or something!*)
For the past 3 days, I have been letting "the dog" (as IT is now known by me)- a 2 year old black lab -into the yard with the critters with me by his side. He did so well it made me happy. He is very well trained and very smart, and after the intial running around trying to smell everythings butt, he settled down and would lay and just watch everyone. I was so happy. I thought, "Wow. A dog in the yard during the day will keep predators at bay". I was wrong.
Today, like the previous 3 days, our dog was in the yard. It was REAL hot today and our children played out in the sprinkler and I watched the yard from the porch. I ran out of lemonade and came inside for no more than a few moments. Thats all it took.
As I poured my glass of fresh lemonade, my son flies into the house screaming "Mom come quick. Chevy killed a chicken". I dropped the glass and flew out the door to see "the dog" cowering near a still flopping, badly wounded chick. One of my 6 week old Cinnamon Queens, and my friendliest one to boot. Da** it.
I feel bad as I am going to be very honest, and hope you all will understand the pain I felt at that moment and not report me to AC or something, but I held that chick in front of my dog and then smacked him good and hard on his thick bottom several times as I yelled for my DH who, upon seeing the scene, stood not knowing what to do. My son (7 years old) stepped up and grabbed the dog and ushered him out of the yard and into the house. I examined the chick, and there was no saving it. It had expired.
I asked my son to explain what happened. He told me the dog was sitting in the grass and the chick was near by scratching the ground searching for bugs and worms, and he just suddenly snapped, growled, and grabbed the chick by the head and flung it around like a toy. My son yelled for him to "drop it" which he did, because he is very well trained. But he knew he'd done wrong and he watched that chick flop around as it died in the grass and he cowered. My poor little one.
I cant even look at the dog now. I picture him shaking my chick back and forth like a rag doll and it makes me want to take my anger out on him. I know its not his fault. Its mine, and mine alone. I left him unsupervised thinking he was fine and I'd only be a minute. I guess I cant face him not because I am mad at HIM but because I am mad at ME. Thats really hard to accept. Because I over estimated my dog, a young chick is dead. Because I did not watch him, and because I thought everything was fine, he's a gentle dog, never hurt a fly....because of my STUPIDITY my chick is dead.
Please, if you own a dog, please don't ever be bull headed, or as stupid as I was today. Keep your dogs away from your birds unless you are right there to watch them and grab them and save a chicks life if you need too.
(*PS...My dog is fine, btw. I didnt hit him hard. I'm not a meany and I dont beat my animals. Please dont think I abused my dog because I was dumb enough to trust him to be a non-dog in my absence. Labs have a very thick skin, and honestly I'm sure it hurt my hand more than his bottom. Just so you all know I'm not some dog beating freak or something!*)
